A film about dance that sparked riots and required secret production in Georgia
In short: When director Levan Akin filmed And Then We Danced, he had to deceive locals by claiming it was a story about a French tourist. The production faced death threats and intense backlash for its portrayal of a gay romance within the rigid, traditional world of the National Georgian Ensemble.
Released in 2019, And Then We Danced follows Merab, a dedicated dancer whose life is upended when a rival, Irakli, joins his ensemble. As their professional competition evolves into a secret romance, the film explores the tension between personal identity and the strict expectations of Georgian tradition. Director Levan Akin was inspired by the violent 2013 Tbilisi anti-homophobia rally, where thousands of counter-protesters attacked young activists. He sought to create a narrative that moved beyond conventional coming-out tropes to examine the evolution of culture itself.
The production was fraught with logistical challenges. Because of the prevalent homophobia in Georgia, the crew had to hide the true nature of the film from onlookers, and many potential locations and actors refused to participate out of fear. Even the lead actors, Levan Gelbakhiani and Bachi Valishvili, initially declined their roles due to concerns about their future careers. The crew eventually required security on set to manage constant death threats. Despite these obstacles, the film premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival to a fifteen-minute standing ovation.
When the film finally reached cinemas in Georgia in November 2019, ultra-conservative groups attempted to block screenings, claiming the work violated national and Christian values. Protesters, including members of the Georgian March, clashed with police outside the Amirani Cinema in Tbilisi, using pyrotechnics and attempting to break through security cordons. Despite the violence—which resulted in injuries to activists and arrests for hooliganism—all scheduled screenings proceeded. The film has since been sold to more than 40 countries and received widespread critical acclaim, including four wins at the 55th Guldbagge Awards.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: And Then We Danced
- Also: Wikidata — And Then We Danced · CC0
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